- This is the latest such case to be recorded in the area. Most of those caught are Ethiopians.
- Those arrested say they had crossed from Ethiopia to Kenya in Turkana.
At least ten Eritreans were Wednesday arrested on a major highway in Lodwar, Turkana.
The aliens, who included six minors, said they were headed for South Africa for greener pastures when they were found stranded in Merian Kawalase village.
Villagers alerted police the aliens were in the area before they were arrested.
Police said they were interrogated before being arraigned on Thursday for being in the country unlawfully.
This is the latest such case to be recorded in the area. Most of those caught are Ethiopians.
Those arrested say they had crossed from Ethiopia to Kenya in Turkana.
They are then ferried to Kitale and later to Nairobi and other major towns before they are smuggled out of the country.
The group said they were running from problems in their country and headed to South Africa, seeking greener pastures.
They changed their usual route from the Ethiopian border.
Police said most of the aliens use the Moyale route as they head to South Africa and the Middle East, oblivious of the dangers ahead.
Tens of aliens are often arrested in various places in the country as they wait to be moved to their next destinations.
Police and immigration officials have deplored increased cases of Ethiopian aliens nabbed in the country while in transit.
Officials from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit are conducting joint operations to deal with human smuggling.
Tens of Ethiopians and now Eritreans are annually arrested in Kenya while in transit and later deported.
Most of those arrested come to Kenya to seek jobs or are on transit.
What is puzzling is how the immigrants manage to evade many police roadblocks mounted from the Moyale border, which they use to Nairobi.
There are more than 20 roadblocks on the stretch, which raises the seriousness of the security agents trying to end the practice.
As part of efforts to deal with the problem, an Ethiopian national was sentenced to 31 years in prison for trafficking 12 fellow Ethiopian immigrants in Nairobi.
Yibekal Gatachew, alias Adinan Mohamed Galano, was sentenced by a Kahawa West Law Court on September 7 last month following his arrest on November 3, 2021, in Ngumo estate, Nairobi.
During the arrest, the 12 Ethiopian nationals were found emaciated and chained in a room as they waited to be repatriated to a different country while headed for South Africa.
Gatachew was also sentenced to an additional year for acquiring a fake document.
This was after he was found with a fake alien identity card. The immigrants were later repatriated to Ethiopia.